Brynie Robinson’s Vashon High’s Bryce Hoisington

Had 51 carries for 573 yards and nine touchdowns in a 70-31 win over Coupeville

“I didn’t think he could do it,” coach Brynie Robinson said

Broke record held by Chiawana’s Austin Urlacher, who ran for 2,877 last year

Vashon Island running back Bryce Hoisington, right, taking a handoff from his brother and Pirates quarterback Connor Hoisington, set the state 11-man record Friday for rushing yards in a season with 2,929 after taking 51 carries for 573 yards and nine touchdowns in a 70-31 victory against Coupeville. Lui Kit WongStaff photographer

“I didn’t think he was even close,” Vashon coach Brynie Robinson said. “I didn’t think he could do it. And then at halftime he was at 366 (rushing yards) and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, he has a shot.’ ”

Hoisington scored 60 of the Pirates’ 70 points.

He said Robinson sent him a text earlier in the week telling him how many yards he needed. His previous season best was 380 yards against Charles Wright on Oct. 9.

“I definitely didn’t think it was going to be easy or anything,” Hoisington said. “But at halftime one of our coaches up in the box told me what I was at. I was like, ‘OK, I’m actually really close to getting it. I could actually do this.”

He spent his Monday being congratulated by classmates. None likely foresaw that the 5-foot-8 junior, who ran for 1,029 yards last season, would now hold the state’s single-game and single-season rushing marks.

I DIDN’T THINK HE WAS EVEN CLOSE. I DIDN’T THINK HE COULD DO IT. AND THEN AT HALFTIME HE WAS AT 366 AND I WAS LIKE, ‘OH MY GOSH, HE HAS A SHOT.’

Vashon Island football coach Brynie Robinson

“He’s got a lot of what you want,” Robinson said of Hoisington, who ran for 369 yards against Chimacum last week after a season-low 102 against Cascade Christian. “He’s got the one cut to make a man miss, he’s got the speed to take it the distance and he runs hard and he runs tough. He’s a special running back.”

Because Vashon’s playoff hopes were dashed in that loss to Cascade Christian two weeks ago, Robinson said the team spent the past two games hoping to get Hoisington the state rushing record.

“After the game I was just feeling super grateful for my team,” Hoisington said. “Coach had a senior offense he wanted to put in because it was our last game but all of the seniors wanted me to break the record. So I was just super grateful of them for wanting to give me the opportunity to do that and of course my offensive line did so much, too.”

t.cotterill@thenewstribune.com

HOISINGTON BY THE NUMBERS

Game-by-game rushing breakdown of Vashon junior running back Bryce Hoisington, who set the state 11-man record on Friday for rushing yards in a season with 2,929 after taking 51 carries for 573 yards and nine touchdowns in a 70-31 victory against Coupeville on Friday.